PRECISION SHOOTING AERODYNAMIC NON-SPHERICAL SAFETY-ORIENTED PROJECTILE

Abstract: An improved, precision shooting, safety oriented, high speed projectile (10) comprising a non-toxic, soft, hollow, capsule (12) formed of a plurality of portions joined together at at least one seam line (14), said seam line (14) being the weakest point of the capsule (12), with the greatest length of the capsule (12) alignable along the length of a gun barrel, whereby said capsule (12) will generally consistently impact on an essentially predetermined portion of the capsule (12) relative to the centerline of the initial direction of flight of the capsule and a colored, non-toxic, fill material disposed in said capsule (12) for ejection therefrom, the angle of at least one seam line (14) being generally consistent relative to the centerline of the initial direction of flight, upon rupture of said capsule (12) at at least one seam line (14) upon impact of said projectile (10) on a soft solid target. The capsule (12) is preferably elastic gelatin.

Description: 1 PRECISION SHOOTING AERODYNAMIC NON- SPHER C L 2 SAFETY-ORT ENTEn PRO.I RCTT I.R 4 BAC ttROUHP OF THE INVENTION 5 ■ 6 FT ELD OF THE INVENTION }.; This invention generally relates to projectiles and ? more particularly relates to a novel, precision shooting, 0 aerodynamic, non-spherical, safety-oriented pr oj ectile 1 comprising a non-toxic, soft, elastic gelatin, usable for ' 12 police activi ties, mock hunting , games, sports, mili tary 13 activities, and the li ke including but not 'limited to those 4 commonly referred to as Paintball, Adult War Games, 1 Adventure Games, Action Pursuit Games, etc. f.- 17 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 1* _, The use of spherical and non-spherical metallic and/or 20 rubber/plastic projectiles, for the purpose of causing 21 bodily harm or impairment to human beings and/ox animals, in 22 a variety of guns is well known. The use of such metallic, 25 and/or rubber/plastic projectiles/bullets presents inherent 4 safety problems and risk of bodily harm and/or impairment 2b when such projectiles are deliberately fired at people or 26 animals in activities such as, Jput not limited to, Adventure 27 Games, police training, military exercises, mock hunting., 1 sports, and games. Use of known metallic and/or 2 rubber/plastic projectiles/bullets can also substantially 3 and unacceptably damage the general environment. 4 5 The use of a soft gelatin capsule in a method for ζ. marking trees with a marking fluid has been described in 7 U. S. Patent No. 3,861,943. According to that, description S the gelatin capsule has a wall thickness from 0.02 inches to 9 0.03 inches and a diameter of 0.25 inches to 0.75 inches. 0 The capsule contains from 0.25 cc to 1.25 cc of maxking 1 fluid, generally a pig ented liquid such as an oil-based 2 paint, or the like, useful for marking stationary articles, such as trees. However, this marking capsule would present 4 certain disadvantages in other applications, such as 5 projectiles for Adventure Games. In particular, the amount and/or type of fluid in the capsule inhibit precision 7 shooting, due to the fact that the shape of the capsule is t". based on the amount of fluid contained therein. As a S result, the capsule generally is unacceptably inaccurate for 0 precision shooting. It operates at velocities of 50 to 200 1 feet per second and cannot be used for anything other than 2 very short range shooting with any degree of accuracy, 3 whereas Adventure Games activities need a much greater 4 accuracy range, are often shot at smaller targets, which 5 often move, and often shoot back, while operating at 6 velocities preferably about 250 feet per second to about 325 7 feet per second with potentially higher velocities involved 1 in the mock hunting activity. If such capsules containing 2 indelible fluids were used in Adventure Games the resulting 3 staining would be difficult or impossible to wash clean from 4 clothing, buildings, or the accessible general environment. 5 Also, such breakage, when applied to Adventure Games or mock ζι hunting, present a very high possibility of accidental 7 ingestion by a human being or deliberate ingestion by a - animal that could be chemically harmful to the human or the animal. Moreover, breakages of the capsules containing 0 indelible fluids would be harmful to the environment and 1 protected trees, such as Oak trees. 2 3 The use of a soft gelatin capsule containing marking -3 fluid in a marking method for target shooting on a C stationary non-soft target or the like has been described in 16 U. S. Patent No. 4,656,092. According to that description, 17 a target shooting capsule is used which comprises a 18 substantially spherical, non-toxic, soft, elastic, seamless I gelatin capsule having a dry wall thickness. of about 0.004 20 inches to about 0.013 inches, having a diameter of about 21 0.16 inches to about 0.265 inches, and containing about 0.03 2 cc to about 0-12 cc of a water-washable, non-toxic, dye fill 2 material. The substantially spherical capsule was designed 24 and intended to impact on a relatively non-soft, solid, and 5 stationary target. However, the substantially spherical 2 capsule has certain disadvantages in other applications such 27 as Adventure Games. In particular, it would have to be 1 fired at a much higher velocity in order to break upon and 2 mark a soft solid target, such as a human or animal, because 3 the force needed to break the seamless capsule is much 4 greater than that required to break a multi-piece seamed 5 capsule. As a result, the substantially spherical capsule 6 could cause unacceptable bodily harm and/or impairment to a 7 human or animal. Moreover, a substantially spherical S capsule is generally not spin stable and therefore G inaccurate when compared to an aerodynamic, non-spherical, 0 spin stable, projectile. 1 12 There exists today in the public domain a substantially 3 spherical capsule utilized primarily, but not exclusively, 14 -for Adventure Games. This gelatin capsule has a wall 15 thickness of about 0.010 inches to 0.020 inches with a 16 diameter of about 0.500^ inches to about 0.700 inches and is substantially spherical. This substantially spherical It capsule being manuf ctured with a diameter of approximately l.! .500 inches, .620 inches and .680 inches with the 20 disadvantages and advantages of each hotly disputed within 21 the industry, both verbally and in print. The .680 inch 22 diameter is today the principal capsule of choice in 23 practice. This substantially spherical capsule consists of 24 two gelatin strips connected togethei by a rotary die 25 process, which results in the substantially spherical 26 capsule having a seam and containing a non-toxic dye fill 27 material which is water washable. j This substantially spherical capsule has serious 2 disadvantages because it is substantially spherical. In 3 particular, because the substantially spherical capsule is 4 fed into a gun primarily by a gravity feed method, there is 5 no way to consistently control the positioning of the seam ό in the gun barrel. As a result, not only will the 7 substantially spherical capsule generally strike the soft 8 solid target randomly with respect to the seam, it may not strike the soft solid target with any portion of the seam at 1 0 all. The seam is the weakest part of the substantially 11 spherical capsule and almost all breakages of the 12 substantially spherical capsule, as a result of impact on a 13 soft solid target, first, occur somewhere on or along the 14 seam line. Consequently this requires that the capsule be 15 consistently fired at a greater velocity in order to cause a 16 break on the seam line of the substantially spherical 17 capsule without the necessity of impacting on the seam line, lb which in a safety oriented recreational activity such as __ _. Adventure Games is a very undesirable condition. 2 21 As another result of not impacting primarily on the 22 seam line, if at all, the substantially spherical capsule 23 will quite often simply bounce off the soft solid target 24 without breaking. If the activity is Adventure Games and 25 the soft solid target, is an opposing player and the ___ substantially spherical capsule bounces off this player, 1 this results in the player that was impacted not being 2 called out of the game even though the players, because of 3 the impact, might think this is the case. This can cause 4 confusion, bad feelings, and arguments and necessitates that 5 the player must be shot again to achieve the neςessary mark 6 in order to remove said player from the game. Such is an 7 unsafe and undesirable result to the shooter, shootee, and the playing arena owner who may assume liability for the 9 activities to some extent. 0 1 Accuracy of the substantially spherical capsule is 2 generally inconsistent because the capsule generally does 3 not rotate/spin about an axis along the direction in which 4 the substantially spherical capsule is traveling and because 1 t e capsule is commonly fired from a smooth barrel it. tends 16 to develop a spin/rotation. Even given the condition that 17 would cause the substantially spherical capsule to 15 consistently spin/rotate about an axis along the direction 1 ';> in which the substantially spherical capsule, is traveling, 20 the random placement of the seam could, in flight, tend to _. 1 cause frictional force which is asymmetric, relative to the mZ i. direction of motion, at the seam line because the seam line 23 would not consistently be either parallel to or 24 perpendicular to the initial direction of flight, resulting 25 in loss of shooting accuracy. Manual placement of the 26 substantially spherical capsule would defeat the purpose of 27 pump action and semi-automatic action guns which - t> - 1 dramatically dominate the marketplace. Manual placement 2 would still, if attempted, present inherent, placement 3 accuracy problems based on human error and even then the 4 substantially spherical capsule would tend not to 5 consistently maintain this alignment relative to the 6 centerline of the initial direction in flight. This 7 resulting inaccuracy of the substantially spherical capsule S is common and undesirable. 10 The substantially spherical capsule tends not to leave 11 a consistent mark on soft solid targets such as a human or 12 animal body. Because of the seam's random position upon 13 impact, the marking capability of the substantially 14 spherical capsule can be anywhere from near zero to near 15 maximum, inasmuch as the marking fluid will tend to be - <^. expelled though the seam first, which is frequently not in 17 the direction of flight. This causes part or all of the Ii; marking fluid to have its destination at places other than ϊ_. the point of impact. This is undesirable when applied to 20 Adventure Games in that certain size marks, depending upon 2i the playing arena, are required to remove the player from 22 the game. Furthermore, the mark left on the player is not required to be circular, simply the required size when 24 considered in total, at the primary point of impact and ___ marks not at the primary point of impact are not considered into the total mark size. 1 Accordingly, there has been a felt but unfulfilled need 2 for a precision shooting, aerodynamic, non-spherical, safety 3 oriented projectile which shoots reliably, requires less 4 initial velocity than that, of a comparable substantially 5. spherical capsule of approximately the same mass, weight and 6 volume to travel- the same distance, and will generally 7 impact on the same portion of the projectile and in 8 generally the same manner for uniformity in marking the _. target upon impact, with improved spin stability, safety, 0 and accuracy. Moreover, the projectile should be 1 inexpensive and easy to use and be accurate to shoot, even 2 at comparatively long range. 3 14 15 lo 17 18 19 20 _. I 1 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 2 -. _. 4 The improved precision shooting, aerodynamic, non- 5 spherical, safety oriented projectile of the present ~ invention satisfies all the foregoing needs. 7 6 The invention provides a precision shooting aerodynamic . non-spherical safety oriented projectile comprising a non- 10 toxic, soft, aerodynamically shaped, hollow, non-spherical, 11 high speed capsule of elastic gelatin or the like, with a 12 nυn-toxic, water washable, colored fill material disposed in 13 the hollow interior thereof. The capsule comprises two or 14 more portions joined at one or more easily rupturable seam ID lines, with the capsule's longest length being along the length of a gun barrel. The gelatin capsule is consistently I * . accurately and substantially filled but need not be entirely 15 filled with the colored non-toxic fill material, but is 1? generally uniform from capsule to capsule in size, shape, 20 quantity of colored non-toxic fill material the soft elastic 21 gelatin capsule of the invention is fabricated by the 22 current state of the art rotary die process of the type 2;j employed to make vitamin, such as vitamin E, and medication 2 capsules. 2D 2c The precision shooting aerodynamic non-spherical safety 27 oriented projectile is comparable aerodynamically to non- 1 spherical metallic and/or lubber/plastic projectiles f or 2 improved accuracy and decreased frictional force whi l e in 3 flight. 4 D In particular embodiments, the projectile may b e 6 configured in the form of a pointed cylinder, i.e. b ullet.- 7 shaped ; in other embodiments the projectile may have at 8 least two seams, in some applications substantially p perpendicular to one another. Other embodiments of the 10 invention include dual pointed generally cylindrical, 11 generally oval and generally ellipsoidal configurations. 12 13 14 16 17 l' 19 20 1 ΔΔ 26 1 BRTEP DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 2 3 4 Fig. 1 is a top plan view, somewhat schematic and 5 partly broken away, of an embodiment of the improved 6 projectile of the present invention; 7 8 Fig. 2 is a top plan view, somewhat schematic and _i partly broken away of an alternative embodiment of the 10 invention; 11 12 Fig. 3 is a top plan view, somewhat schematic and 13 partly broken away, of an preferred embodiment of the 14 invention; and I l Fig. 4 is a top plan view, somewhat schematic and 17 partly broken away, of a further alternative embodiment of It: the invention. 1& 20 21 _ z> 24 20 27 1 ΓΪETAT ED DESCRI PTION OF THE INVENT IQJS- 2 3 4 Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, a first D embodiment of the improved, precision shooting, aerodynamic, 6 non-spherical, safety oriented, non-toxic projectile, 7 hereinafter referred to as the "improved projectile", of the 8 present invention is schematically depicted therein. The _ > improved projectile 10 is specially adapted for, but not 0 limited to, safe use in games, military activities, police 1 activities, mock hunting and sports, particularly those in 2 which the improved projectile is to be fired at, hit, and 13 mark soft solid targets such as humans or animals. One such 14 sport, is called Adventure Games, the object of which is for ID a player to eliminate opposing players from the game by 10 striking them with a marking projectile shot from a gun. J .' 18 Improved projectile 10 comprises a soft, -hollow, non- _ > toxic capsule 12 of elastic gelatin or the like, where 20 capsule 12 is non-spherical, its greates length being 21 alignable along a gun barrel's length (not shown). Capsule 22 12 comprises preferably, but is not limited to, two portions 23 joined together at seam line 14, preferably centered, 24 disposed on the length of capsule 12. 2D 26 I pz'oved projectile 10 is non-toxic and contains a 27 warLei washable colored fill material that is non- oxic. As will be apparent from the detailed description below, the improved projectile 10 has the advantage of consistently predetermining, without direct manual placement, the angle of the seam(s) in the gun barrel in relation to the centerline of the initial direction of flight whether fed into the gun by gravity, pressure, spring, or hand. As a result, improved projectile 10 can: 1^ consistently impact primarily on, adjacent or along its weakest portion, which is seam line 14, thereby substantially promoting safety interests which is highly desirable. 2^ consistently impact primarily on or along its weakest portion, which is seam line 14 whereby it is more likely to burst resulting in bounces off the soft solid target without breakage. 3_^ consistently impact primarily on adjacent or along seam lin 14 whereby the marking capability of improved projectile 10 is not only rendered consistent but the mark will generally be substantial. ^ achieve superior accuracy because a consistent and stable spin can be achieved about the longes axis resulting in superior flight stability and in some applications making the effect of an asymmetric seam line negligible for practical purposes. 5. have superior or equ distance capability with lower muzzle velocity for additional safety or will provide greater distance shootin without essentially changing safety requirements. 6^_ as a result of seam line 14 being placed in the plane of the initial direction of flight of the improved projectile, an frictional force will have negative effect on accuracy. 2- . eliminate the tendency to roll forward into the barrel resulting in double feeding which could cause bursting of the capsules in the barrel. 8_^ have a seam line generally perpendicular to the initial direction of flight, with seam line 14 removed, whereby any frictional force caused by sea line 14 is relieved. £ _ have at least one sea, crease, ridge, or score line generally perpendicular or generally parallel or otherwise to the centerline of the initial direction of flight, in addition to seam line 14, whereby breakage of the projectile is facilitated. 10. by forming the front of improved projectile 10 to a point, rounded or otherwise, gyroscopic properties are achieved providing superior flight stability and accuracy. Capsule 12 can vary in size and shape, as desired, in accordance with the invention. Capsule 12 is generally ellipsoidal. In Fig. 1 , the greatest width of capsule 12 being preferably substantially equal to 0.300 inches to 0.750 inches, the length of capsule 12 being preferably substantially equal to 0.400 inches to about 2.000 inches long. Capsule 12 comprises a shell or wall 16 defining a hollow interior space 18. Preferably wall 16 has a substantially uniform thickness of 0.004 inch to 0.030 inch and within space 18 that colored non-toxic fill material 20 of improve projectile 10 is disposed. Wall 16 preferably has wall thickness of .004 to .019 inch for Adventure Game use and for mock hunting applications involving small or fragile targets, such as rabbits. Larger wall thicknesses are usable in applications, such as mock hunting involving large or sturdy animals, where harder impacts are not undesirable. The thicknesses given are dry wall thickness i.e. thickness of the walls when they are dry after manufacturing. Because rupture occurs at adjacent or along the seam line, the wall thickness in this region is of primary import. - 14(a)- 1 Capsule 12 can be formed by a conventional processing 2 technique commonly referred to as the rotary die process, 3 such as is used to fabricate capsules of vitamins or 4 medications. The process may proceed front any suitable D mixture of materials, such as, for example, those described ~ in the following description. A brief description of this 7 conventional rotary die process will suffice. The basic 8 ingredients of the capsule 12 shell portions comprise 5 primarily gelatin with other various ingredients to achieve 10 the desired gelatin composition. Preferably used 11 preservatives sxe methyl and propylparabens and sorbic acid. 1 - Certified dyes are preferably used when color is desired. J. . " " Titanium Dioxide is preferably used to produce opaque 14 capsules. The variety of colors that can be opaque or 11 transparent are colored transparent, colored opaque, natural 1. transparent, two-tone opaque, two-tone transparent and two- 1 7 tone transparent opaque. Random camouflage patterns lit consisting of two or more colors can be induced by combining !<;. the melted gelatin in the final encapsulation' tank and 20 stirring it slowly and/or infrequently. Flavoring agents, 21 including but not limited to Ethyl Vanillin, Essential Oils, 22 or Methionine, and/or scent, agents, may also be employed in 23 the capsule shell and/or fill material. Following a basic 24 pre-determined formula the gelatin and other ingredients are 2D mixed and melted in large stainless steel vacuum melters 26 located on an elevated platform above the preparation room. 27 This elevation permits gravity feeding into the stainless - 15 - 1 steel receiving and transfer tanks, which are water jacketed 2 for heating purposes to maintain the gelatin temperature 3 within required tolerances. Appropriate dyes and/or 4 titaniu dioxide can be added in the transfer tanks, if D . required, for coloring purposes. Both the viscosity and 6 temperature of the gelatin must be held within relatively 7 narrow specifications to insure quality manufacturing. All 8 fill material ingredients, both solids and liquids are pre- _) weighed and transferred to stainless steel blending tanks 10 where they are adequately mixed to obtain a uniform product. 11 The mixing is accomplished through the use of (variable) 12 mixers. If necessary, the mixture is put. through a 13 homogenizing process which breaks up agglomerates of solids j4 and insures that all solids are wet with the liquid base. ID Again, if required the mixture is deaerated and transferred 16 into stainless steel tanks ready for encapsulation. Two 17 transfer tanks, one containing gelatin and the other the 18 non-toxic colored fill material are hung over the soft !_ ■ > capsule machine. A continuous flow of gelatin is supplied 20 to a metering device and thus metered onto air cooled 21 rotating drums forming a gelatin ribbon. These two ribbons 22 of gelatin roll down between the rotary dies,becoming taut 23 and somewhat stretched. A continuous flow of the non-toxic 24 colored fill material is supplied to a displacement pump 2D which controls the fill weight of the capsule be produced. 2 When the capsule is approximately half formed, the non- oxic 27 colored fill material is literally exploded through orifices - 16 - 1 in a heated wedge segment to force the gelatin ribbon into 2 the die pockets where capsules are simultaneously shaped, 3 filled, hermetically sealed and cut from the gelatin 4 ribbons. P-egular monitoring of fill weights, seal D thickness, uniformity of shape and general appearance is 6 carried out during the encapsulation process. If require d , 7 the freshly formed capsules are conveyed to a washer. After 8 washing to remove any oil residues the capsules are Ci transferred to tumbler driers for initial drying. As 10 capsules are discharged from the drier they are sprea d on 11 shallow trays and moved into a drying room to complete the 12 drying process. After completion of drying the capsules may 13 be washed and cleaned using a solvent and centrifuge 14 equipment. The capsules are then examined for visual ID defects such as poor seals, poor uniformity of s h ape, 16 leaking capsules or other defects. They may also be 17 processed through sizing equipment to sort out any under or 18 oversized capsules. Using statistically reliable sampling 9 techniques quality control personnel verify , the physical 0 standards of size, shape, color, weight, moisture content . 3 and seal integrity. The capsules are then released lor 2 counting, packaging, and shipment. By this process 3 projectile 10 is accurately filled, i.e. within relatively 4 narrow tolerances. D 6 Fill material 20 is non-toxic, water washable, of 7 conventional type and is of a variety of colors, including - 17 - 1 black and white, preferably colors that show up well on 2 various camouflage clothing or animal skin/fur. Fill 3 material 20 may also contain flavoring and/or scent agents. 4 The description hereinabove describes an D example of how fill material 20 is created. Ingredients should not be used in fill material 20 which could not be 7 ' washed from the clothing or skin of humans and/or animals or 8 the general environment that is accessible to washing. 5 Therefore, oil-base pigments and initially water soluble 0 paints which set to a water insoluble state, for example so 11 called tempera paints preferably should not be used in fill 12 material 20. 13 14 The amount of fill material 20 in capsule 12 will vary, ID depending on the size of capsule 12. Capsule 12 need not be 16 entirely filled with fill material 20, but only that, for 17 maximum shooting accuracy, a plurality of capsules 12 be 18 substantially identical to each other in size, shape and 19 weight and have about the same volume of fill material 20 20 therein. Typically, fill material 20 will be present in 21 capsule 12 in an amount preferably substantially equal to 22 0.011 cubic inches to 0.347 cubic inches. That is generally 23 sufficient, although visibility and weight requirements may 24 vary depending on the activity and target, to mark a soft 2D solid target, such as a human or animal, impacted by 26 improved projectile 10. - 18 - 1 Improved projectile 10 is loadable into a gun barrel 2 (not shown) so that seam line 14 extends along the length of 3 the gun barrel. Capsule 12 is sized with respect to the gun 4 barrel so that it can fit into the barrel only this way. 5 That is, capsule 12 at its greatest length will not fit into 6 the barrel sideways, but the greatest width of capsule 12 is 7 such that capsule 12 is slidingly received in the gun t: barrel. Since each capsule 12 is essentially uniform in <_ ■ fill and stable in dimensions it is loadable the same way 10 into the gun barrel. The portion of capsule 12 that impacts 11 the soft solid target, is generally consistent relative to 12 the centerline of the initial direction of flight and the 13 angle of seam line 14 relative to the centerline of the 14 initial direction of flight is generally consistent upon ID impact of a soft solid target. Capsule 12 will generally 16 retain these alignments while in flight because capsule 12 17 is substantially spin stable. When improved projectile 10 1 _. impacts upon a soft solid object such as a human or animal, 19 it will generally break first at, adjacent or along seam 14 20 making the desired mark while promoting safety interests. 21 22 Improved projectile 10, although " soft with 23 elastic properties,essentially will retain its shape when 24 fired from a gun or the like, and is still strong enough not to accidentally, upture, under normal use, in the gun 26 barrel. Improved projectile 10 is inexpensive to make, 27 relatively easy to store and has superior aerodynamic, 19 1 safety, marking, and accuracy properties which make it 2 highly desirable for use in Adventure Games, among other 3 activi ties. 4 D A second embodiment of the improved projectile of t h e 6 present invention is schematically depicted in Fiq. 2 as 7 improved projectile lϋa. Components thereof similar to 8 those of improved projectile 10 of Fig. 1 bear the same Q numerals but are succeeded by the letter "a". 10 11 Improved projectile 10a is identical to improved 12 projectile 10, except that projectile 10a has an additional 13 seam line 30 perpendicular to the longest axis of improved 14 projectile lϋa and designed to further facilitate breakage ID of improved projectile 10a when it hits a soft solid target. 16 Improved projectile 10a has the other advantages of improved 17 projectile 10. 8 9 A preferred and third embodiment of the improved 0 projectile of the present invention is schematically 21 depicted in Fig. 3 as improved projectile 10b. Components 22 thereof similar to those of improved projectile 10 bear the 23 same numerals but are succeeded by the letter "b". 24 2D Improved projectile 10b is identical to improved 26 projectile 10, except that projectile 10b has a pointed 27 front end 40 and a pointed rear end 50 in which seam line - 20 1 14b is disposed, for easier loading into ammo containers, or 2 the like, and a greater gyroscopic effect thereby promoting 3 additional accuracy. Improved projectile 10b has the other 4 advantages of improved projectile 10. D 6 A fourth embodiment of the improved projectile of the 7 present invention is schematically depicted in Fig. 4 as 8 improved projectile 10c. Components thereof similar to 9 those of projectile 10a bear the same numerals but are 10 succeeded by the letter n c". 11 12 Improved projectile 10c is identical with projectile 13 10a, except on the longest axis seam line 14a is missing 1-j from projectile 10c, which, however, does have seam line 30c ID which is generally perpendicular to the longest axis whereby 16 any frictional force that may be caused by seam line 14a is 7 relieved. 18 19 It will be understood that, if desired, at least one 20 score, seam, ridge, or crease line (not shown) could be used 21 in addition to the described seam lines, to facilitate 22 flight stability and/or rupturing of the improved projectile 23 on impact with a soft solid target, in accordance with the 24 invention'. 2D 26 Various other modifications, changes, alterations and 27 additions can be made in the improved projectile of the - 21 1 present invention, its components and their parameters. All 2 such modifications, changes, alterations and additions as 3 are within the scope of the appended claims form part of the 4 present invention, which is defined by the appended claims D. construed in light of the specification and claims. 6 7 r, 10 11 12 14 ID 16 17 18 19 20 21 _,j ?. (• • i. I

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS; 1. An improved soft, hollow, safety oriented high speed projectile comprising, in combination: a) a non-toxic, soft, hollow, safety oriented, high speed capsule formed of a plurality of portions joined together at at least one seam line, said seam line being the weakest point of the capsule, the greatest length of the capsule being alignable along the length of a gun barrel, whereby said capsule will consistently impact on an essentially predetermined portion of the capsule; and, b) a colored, non-toxic, fill material disposed in said capsule for ejection therefrom upon rupture of said capsule upon impact of said projectile on a soft solid target. 2. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said colored non-toxic, fill material is water-soluble and, when dried,is -23- readily washable from human and animal skin, clothing, and the accessible general environment. 3. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said capsule comprises elastic gelatin. 4. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said capsule is accurately and at least partially filled to retain a stable configuration when sorted and handled properly. 5. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein the length o said capsule is substantially equal to 10 percent to 166 percent greater than the greatest width. 6. The improved projectile of Claim 5 wherein said capsul has a dry wall thickness at or adjacent said at least one seam line, substantially equal to .004 inch to .019 inch, a length substantially equal to 0.400 inches to 2.000 inch and the greatest width is substantially equal to 0.300 inches to 0.750 inches, and wherein said capsule contains substantially equal to 0.011 cubic inches to 0.347 cubic inches of colored, non-toxic, water washable, fill materia -24- 1 7. The improved projectile of Claim 5 wherein said 2 capsule's greatest width is dimensioned so as to essentially 3 fit the bore of a gun barrel. 4 5. 8. The improved projectile of Claim 7 wherein said capsule 6 is generally comparable in shape to non-spherical lead, 7 steel, plastic, and rubber projectiles for improved 8 accuracy. 9 10 3. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said capsule 11 is generally ellipsoidal in configuration. 1 1.-l 10. The improved projectile of Claim _■ wherein said capsule 14 forms a point, rounded or otherwise, on at least one end. ID 16 II- The improved project,il§ of. Claim 1 wherein said capsule 17 . is generally cylindrical in shape. JL 19 12. The improved proj ectile of Claim 11 wherein said 20 capsule f orms a point, rounded or otherwise, on at least one 21 end. 22 2j 13. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said capsule 24 is generally oval in shape. 14. The improved projectile of Claim 13 wherein said forms a point, rounded or otherwise, on at least one end. 15. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said capsule defines an indentation in at least one end. 16. The improved projectile of Claim 1 wherein said capsule includes at least one protrusion at one end. 17. The improved projectile of Claim 1 further including at least one crease therein. 18. The improved projectile of Claim 1 further including at least one ridge thereon. 19. The improved projectile of Claim 1 further including at at least one score line therein. 20. The improved projectile of Claim 5 wherein said capsule has a dry wall thickness, at or adjacent said at least one seam line, substantially equal to 0.020 inch to 0.030 inch, a length substantially equal to 0.40 inch to 2.00 inches, and the greatest width is substantially equal to 0.30 to 0.75 inch, and wherein said capsule contains substantially equal to 0.011 cubic inch to 0.347 cubic inch of colored, non-toxic, water-washable fill material, whereby said capsule is usable with velocities exceeding substantially -26- 300 feet per second and with respect to more durable or larger targets. 26(a)-

Inventors: BUZICK STEVEN CRAIG, BUZICK, STEVEN, CRAIG
Applicants: BUZICK STEVEN CRAIG, BUZICK, STEVEN, CRAIG
Application year: 1994
Main classification: F42B12
IPC codes: F42B12